Chevy’s mid-size Malibu is all-new for 2013, joining the Buick Regal on the global Epsilon II platform. Loyal readers of Car and Driver may remember that our John Phillips briefly drove and generally liked a 2013 Malibu prototype earlier this year. We recently traveled to Texas to see if our early impressions would hold up following a few more miles in real-world conditions.

We once again drove the Eco model, which is powered by the combo of a direct-injected 2.4-liter four-cylinder gas engine and a 15-hp electric motor. This will be the only powertrain available at launch, with two other (unassisted) engines joining the lineup later. The first will be GM’s new 2.5-liter four-banger, which will make about 190 hp and arrive next summer. A turbocharged four-cylinder, likely one of the 2.0-liter units offered in the Regal, will follow. Chevrolet isn’t saying yet when that engine will appear, or how much power to expect. The 2.0 makes 220 hp in the Regal Turbo and 270 in the Regal GS. We say the Malibu’s version needs closer to 270 to differentiate it from the 2.5 and to better compete with the sixes in the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and Volkswagen Passat—not to mention the 274-hp turbo four in the Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima.

Eco-specific features include an aluminum hood, an aluminum rear bumper beam, and lighter carpet and dash-mat materials. According to Chevy, these measures save approximately 130 pounds. An active shutter in the grille and smooth underbody panels reduce drag, although they could appear on other models as well, as Chevy won’t say they’re Eco-only pieces.

Seamless, Not Stirring

Acceleration is adequate, but passing is a plan-ahead affair. Even with our lead feet, though, a day of mixed highway and two-lane driving yielded an indicated 29 mpg, which exactly matches the figure we logged in a mild-hybrid Malibu we compared against the Ford Fusion, Nissan Altima, and Toyota Camry hybrids. (Being full hybrids, all three competitors bested the Malibu in mileage.) Chevy expects the EPA estimates will be in the neighborhood of 25 mpg city and 37 highway, better than the old hybrid by 3 mpg in both categories.

The grainy roads of central Texas provided ample opportunity to gauge steering feel, which we previously noted was somewhat lacking. But with the firm suspension, we were able to carry decent speed through corners. Thanks to the acoustic glass, as well as sound-insulating material injected virtually everywhere the eye can’t see, the 2013 Malibu is extremely quiet inside. Even the windshield wipers operate in virtual silence.

Chevy pulled 4.5 inches out of the Malibu’s wheelbase, meaning that rear-seat legroom takes a hit. And with a cushion boasting all the loving contours of a park bench, comfort back there is nothing to brag about, either. (The upcoming 2014 Impala should better cater to rear-seat riders.) It might not be bigger, but the space is vastly more pleasant than the current car’s interior, especially up front. Soft-touch materials and painstaking design details abound. And for those times when cargo overflows the trunk, the small size of the hybrid’s battery allows for a split-folding rear seatback and a slim cargo pass-through, features often lost to bulkier (although far more potent) battery packs.

Plenty of Content

For $25,995 (roughly $1800 more than the 2012 Malibu LT), the Malibu Eco comes standard with 225/55-17 low-rolling-resistance tires, heated mirrors, “ice blue” ambient lighting, a bevy of airbags including driver and front-passenger knee bags, and OnStar. All Eco models include Chevy’s MyLink infotainment system, featuring a seven-inch touchscreen (it motors up to reveal a handy storage bin), capacitive-touch controls, and the ability to pair with mobile devices for additional functions.

Four major equipment packages will be offered. The Power Convenience package features remote start, a power driver’s seat, a rearview camera, an auto-dimming mirror, and a universal garage-door opener. The Premium Audio package adds a nine-speaker Pioneer audio system, fog lamps, and a leather-wrapped shift knob and steering wheel. The Leather package builds on those with leather seats (heated in front) and a power passenger seat. Heated front seats are also a part of the Navigation package, which—strangely—adds an auto-up driver’s window. And nav, of course.

The rest of the Malibu’s trim levels, the LS, the LT, and the dressy LTZ, will be phased in along with the 2.5-liter engine starting next summer. If Chevy can make its most-fuel-efficient model this pleasant, it bodes well for the rest of the lineup.

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